Czech Republic sets up anti-propaganda unit

Children hold a Soviet flag as they place flowers during a ceremony to honour the Victory Day at the Soviet cemetery on May 9, 2014 in Prague, Czech Republic. Russia celebrates the Victory Day and the end of the WWII war on May 9. (Photo by Matej Divizna/

The Czech interior ministry wants to create a separate unit that would fight propaganda from Russia and other countries, Reuters reports. Last month Czechia reported that Russia conducts an information war in the country and builds a network of groups and agents, aiming to destabilize the Czech Republic.

The newly organized 20-member unit will counter misinformation in the public domain and train public officials to withstand propaganda.

But a number of politicians - in particular, president Milos Zeman - have echoed Russia's views on the situation in eastern Ukraine, including its insistence that no Russian troops are there, and spoken out against economic sanctions on Russia.